Alright, everyone. Are you ready for the last chapter? Because this is it. The end. Thanks to all my fans, especially Dove of Night. You keep reviewing and making me so happy! ^_^ I really hope everyone enjoys the ending.

Chapter Five

"Existence?" she echoed in disbelief.
"Of course. If you lose control of the Giga slave, then everything is returned to the sea of chaos. Basically, the only thing that will exist then would be L-sama herself. No more gods, no more monsters, no more humans, no more Ze-" he stopped abruptly, hopping she wouldn't catch it.

Unfortunately for him, Lina Inverse did not call herself a genius out of pure egotism and was not fooled.

"No more Zelas?" she demanded, eyes wide. "That's what this is all about? You're using me to get back at your master because you're nothing but a puppet and can't do it yourself?"

"The motives don't matter," he snapped. "No matter what the reasons, the end result will be the same. Cast the Giga slave, Lina, or I'll kill him here and now."
"I won't do it." she said solemnly.

Glaring at her with so much hatred it made her feel sick, the general- priest pushed the tip of his staff threw the blonde man's shoulder. Gourry cried out, almost fully awake now, and tears filled the sorceress's eyes.

"Why should you get to keep what you love anyway?" Xellos exclaimed, kicking the swordsmen hard in the ribs.
"Stop it!" Lina shrieked. The monster did as she asked for just a second. He looked up and gave her the most challenging stare she had ever seen, but there was something new in his eyes now. There was definitely still hate, an abundance of it in fact, but also. Could it have been sorrow?

It was then that everything fell into place for the human sorceress, an epiphany if you will.

"You loved her. Filia. You loved her but Zelas made you kill her. I get it now." She said, meeting his formidable glare with one of her own.

"You get nothing!" he raged, stabbing Gourry threw the other shoulder. Blood was everywhere. All over the ground, the staff, her protector's body. When Xellos raised his weapon again, Lina jumped to action.
"Elmekia Lance!" she called. The spell hit her opponent in the shoulder, but he didn't so much as blink.
"You don't get it do you? The only thing that can save his life is the Giga Slave."

When all she did was throw an enhanced fireball he growled furiously then said, "I didn't want to do this, Lina. You made me." and with that, he thrust the end of his staff threw Gourry's stomach, laughing as he did so.

She bit back the tears that threatened to burst forth, and a look of hard resolve consumed her features.
"I'm going to kill you." She said hoarsely.
"No one's stopping you."

`She said nothing more to him after that, merely bowed her head and began to chant the spell. She did this quietly; so he couldn't here. The monster wasn't overly concerned about it because he was already positive as to what it was.

The one he'd longed for. That was the only thing it could be, for the power pooling around the young girl was too much to be anything else. He could feel the anticipation climb down his spin and into the bottom of his stomach. It wouldn't be much longer now.

Suddenly the sorceress looked up, face still set in her mask of stone. Blackness surrounded her, blocking out the moon and the stars. Darkness consumed her, feeding and devouring, giving and taking all that she was.

Xellos was smiling now. Not an arrogant, hatred filled smile, but one full of sorrow and longing. Perhaps if Lina felt anything other then the hate that burned so brightly around her, she might have pitied the sight.

"Ragna Blade!" she screamed, and jumped high in the air.

No! No! That wasn't right!, Xellos's mind screamed. She had tricked him, destroyed his plans. She had to be annihilated, as it was only fair, his mind raged.

She was close now, so close that even if he had wanted to move, he couldn't have. As the sword of darkness cut through his body on every plane, a beam of light left his outstretched palm.

The burst of power shot threw her body, having met little resistance, and missed her heart by perhaps a millimeter. Blood poured from the wound and covered everything, including the dying man beneath her. She continued foreword, dragging the now dissipating power cleanly threw her enemy.

He screamed as he died; a scream full of more pain then any living thing had ever been in. Hate and anger disappeared as he fell to ground. His last thought was of Filia, the woman he loved more then anything in existence.

Lina Inverse, the sorceress supreme, landed on her back, jarring bones and probably breaking them. She tried to move but it didn't work. Her life slipped quickly away, soaking the earth around her.

The pain was gone now, washed away by the coldness that had flooded her senses. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was praying. Praying that the last thing she said would be heard by the one person that meant more to her then gold or riches or fame. Taking in one final breath she whispered, "Gourry. love you. I." The trail of broken words ended there and Lina Inverse lay dead among the ruins of a long forgotten city.

The voice he had grown to love in a matter of days filtered into his thoughts as the blonde swordsmen lay dying on the ground. Her gentle confession startled him, pulling him out of the haze of guilt and self- loathing. He found the strength to roll over and drag himself to her, though it should have been impossible. But then again, when one is in love, what's impossible?

Reaching her took an eternity or maybe more, and when he finally got to her it was too late. He pulled himself halfway onto her chest and pressed an ear to her heart. There was no sound, no movement.

Tears fell down his cheeks like waterfalls, mingling with the blood and turning it a dark pink. "Lina," he whispered heart-brokenly. "Wake up. please. Lina." he tried to shake her, tried to bring her back as he had once before, but this time it didn't work and he was left devastatingly alone. His strength was now depleted and he rested his head against her shoulder.

"Lina, I love you so much." He continued to sob. Everything seemed to be getting farther and farther away as the coldness set in. Breathing became a difficult job and moving was now impossible. The swordsmen quit fighting and let death take him away.

"Lina." he whispered with his last breath and was gone.

THE END.

**hides in a corner** So. how was that? ^_^ Did I surprise you? I hope everyone likes it! Slave-driver Alicia is pouting on the couch. she's very upset by the ending. lol Anyway, REVIEW and tell me what you thought! Thanks again for all who read this and all who review; you guys keep me going. -Ahria